Women's Shelter Works To Rise From Ashes

Garland group tries to rebuild after devestating fire

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The Garland home that once housed "Anna's House" was damaged by fire, now the residents and homeowner are working to rebuild with few resources.

Updated at 10:56 PM CST on Monday, Dec 21, 2009

The Garland home that once housed "Anna's House" was damaged by fire, now the residents and homeowner are working to rebuild it with few resources.

Residents and supporters of Anna's House are still sorting through both the physical and psychological damage left behind by a fire last month, caused when someone left a pot on the stove unattended.

"We lost everything -- refrigerator, stove, everything else was just melted down,” said Eva Miles, the founder and owner of Anna’s House.

Miles is a self-described angel to several young women who've all been in some kind of trouble, but were trying to start over.

"Most of the young ladies with me (their) parents were on drugs,” Miles said. “They were living out here with no supervision and they look for opportunities, but they're looking in the wrong places and without guidance and someone to help them and support them, it's a lost cause.”

No one was hurt in the fire, but residents say their lives were disrupted.

"This house burning down has caused a lot of confusion,” said 19-year-old resident Brianna Frye, who said her life has improved completely since she moved in one year ago. “And so I think that it's very important that we get it back right, and back built up right, so we can get all of our people back on track and doing what we're supposed to do.”

But it will be tough. The kitchen is in ruins and the rest of the house is badly damaged by smoke and water. Miles said her insurance only covered the structure, not the home’s contents.

Much of the furniture and clothing will have to be thrown out.

"We don't have no beds, we have nothing because everything is here,” Miles said.

Anna’s House has found a home in Plano to rent for the next few months, while the Garland home is being renovated. But they have nothing to furnish their temporary home.

“We're in a house without any beds or anything to function with, as we would here, so right now we're going to be there three or four months, until we can get this place back livable,” Miles said.